It's hard enough to find a band these days that's not just jumping on a bandwagon or re-releasing the same tired album again with a different title, and even harder to find a band that not only consistently progresses with each consecutive release, but a band that has the artistic fortitude to experiment and extend their musical boundaries without completely losing the core of their sound altogether. Fortunately (for both fans and critics alike), All Shall Perish has always been more inclined to DRIVE the bandwagon than they ever have been to hitch a ride, and that hasn't changed with 'Awaken The Dreamers'. From the dizzying lead work of up and coming virtuoso shredder Chris Storey, to the expansive vocal range of Hernan "Eddie" Hermida, All Shall Perish has seemlessly blended new elements into their sound that only serves to enhance their already jaw-dropping, bone crushing sonic attack.
It's immediately evident from the opening track, "When Life Meant More", that All Shall Perish also haven't sacrificed one ounce of brutality or aggression. The ultra-precise jack-hammer drumwork of skinbasher Matt Kuykendall is everpresent, along with Ben Orum's complex stop/start rhythmic structures. Eddie's vocals are way more intelligible, and there's no sign of the ultra-annoying high end pig squeals, or the equally annoying ultra low end gurgles that can't rightly be understood without a lyric sheet. This sets the tone for the remainder of the album and let's you know that when it comes to full on aggression, All Shall Perish definitely hasn't lost the plot.
"Black Gold Reign" is where the new influences start to show, with the snaking melodic leads that propel the song forward. Of course, the most noticeable and unexpected element is the RobHalford/Cam Pipes-esque screams that come in around the 1:30 and 1:40 marks. In most instances this just wouldn't work for a band of such an extreme caliber. All Shall Perish, however, doesn't just manage to make it work, they make it sound completely natural. Without such nuances, the song just wouldn't be what it is. And of course, in keeping with the core of the band's sound, "Never Again" brings in some 'Br00tal' breakdowns and chugging ("danceable") rhythms that a certain sect of the band's fanbase have come to expect. Of course, the melodic breaks and whispered vocals add another dimension to the song as well.
The album's title track showcases even more of the band's progression, with melodic clean vocals showing up throughout the duration of the song, not to mention some truly wicked fretwork courtesy of bassist Mike Tiner. Nowhere is their progression and experimentation more prevalent though, than midway through the album on the track "Memories Of A Glass Sanctuary." This song is a complete departure for the band, and is the type of song that one would NEVER expect to hear on an album from any Extreme Metal band. The thing is, it's extremely well done, and further proves that the band is not only capable of thinking outside the box, but stepping outside of it completely. Restricting your own creativity is the worst thing you can do as an artist, so it's good to see that the band kept from limiting themselves based on what may or may not be considered "Metal." (And of course, it'll make for a good laugh when other "extreme' bands jump all over this, while making sure to say they've "had the song written for some time now.")
The remainder of 'Awaken The Dreamers' is chock full of even more blast beats, crushing rhythms, acidic vocals, and face melting leads. This album is everything that a fan of diverse styles of extreme music could hope for, and then some, including the wicked instrumental track, "From So Far Away", which features guitar shredding virtuoso Rusty Cooley.
If there's anything bad to be said about this album, it would have to be in regards to the the total running time, which doesn't even crack the 35 minute mark. And when that's the biggest complaint one can muster, that's when you know you've hit the fucking mark!
